Ignition appabatus



March 31, 1931. J' V|RAMONTE5 u 1,798,712

IGNITION APPARATUS Filed Sept. l2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jes u S V fammi 61S I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES JESS vInAMoNrEs, or SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA IGNITION APPARATUS Application led September 12, 1929. Serial No. 392,047.

This invention relates to an improved ignition apparatu-s for internal combustion engines. Y The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient ignition system or apparatus for use on multiple cylinder internal combustion engines of the valve-in-head type, and by means of which the charges are ignited at the completion of l the compression strokes without employlng timing devices or expensive and complicated -electrical devices and wiring.

The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an internal combustion engine equipped with an ignition apparatus embodying the present invention, a portion of the apparatus being omitted.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 2`2 of Figure 1.

. Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the spring contacts carried by the rocker arms as shown in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4l is avwiring diagram illustrating the complete ignition apparatus as gpera- 30 tively associated with the engine of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings, the ignition apparatus is shown applied to an internal combustion engine having four cylinders 5, 6, 7, and 8 covered by a head 9 which carries the usual spring seated valves for controlling the admission of charges to and the exhaust of spent gases from the cylinders. Each cylinder has one exhaust valve and one intake valve, and these valves are opened at timed intervals by the usual valve operating mechanism including vertical push rods 10 and rocker arms 11, each rocker arm bearing at one end on the upper end of one of said push rods and at the other end on the upper end of the stem 12 of the associated valve.

The push rods 10 are vertically reciprocated 'in the usual way by operative association with the usual cam shaft, not shown. Only 5 the lntake valves are'shown in order to disclose an embodiment of the present invention, and these are indicated at 13.

The lusual spark plugs are provided for the cylinders, and each plug is c omposed of an outer metallic casing 14 having a threaded 55 end for being screwed into an opening in the head 9.y This casing hasthe usual ground terminal 15, and is provided with a bore which receives an insulating body 16. The body 16 in turn has a central bore which re- 60 ceives a central electrode or conductor rod'17 whose inner end forms the terminal 18 disposed in spaced relation to the terminal 15 to form a spark gap between itself and the latter.

In accordance with the present invention, a bar 19 of insulating material is mounted above the rocker arms 11 and has fixed contacts 2O exposed at the under side thereof in -position to co-act with spring contacts 21 carried by certain of the rocker arms 11 to 70 successively place the spark plugs in circuit l with 'an ignition coil 22 for firing the compressed charges of the cylinders in proper sequence. The coil 22 is of that type employing a continuously-acting vibrator, such as are used onmodel T Ford automobiles, and shown for example in the U. S. Letters Patent to J. F. Cavanagh, No.'1,034,588, dated August 6, 1912. As shown, a contact 21 is mounted on and insulated from the rocker S0 arm forthe intake valve 13 of each cylinder, and adjacent the end of said rocker arm which bears on the associated push rod 10.

vOne terminal of the coil 22 is connected by a conductor wire 23 with all of the contacts 85 21, the other terminal ofA the coil being grounded as at 24. The contact 20 which coacts with the contact 21 carried by the rocker arm 11 for the intake valve olf-cylinder 5 is connected by a conductor wire 25 with the 90 central electrode 17 of the spark plug for Cylinder 7, the next Contact 20 being similarly connectedto the spark plug of cylinder 5 by a conductor wire 26, the following contact 2O being likewise connected by a conductor wire 27 to the spark plug of cylinder 8, and the remaining contact 20 being connected by a conductor wire 28 to the spark plug of cylinder 6. In other words, the arrangement is such that when the rocker'arm for the in- No take valve of each c linder operates to open 1 said valve and admlt a charge, it closes the circuit to the spark plug of another cylinder in which a charge has been admitted and compressed, this insuring ignition of the charges at the proper time at all engine speeds and without employing a timing device. The current Hows, of course, from the terminal 15 of each spark plug to the grounded terminal of the coil 22, the terminal 15 being electrically connected to the cylinders, and the latter being grounded as at 29.

The coil 22 is included in a primary circuit with a battery and a switch 3l, as usual.

The contacts 20 are preferably formed by the heads of bolts passed through the bar 19 and having nuts 32 threaded on their upper ends for clamping the ends of the wires 25, 26, 27 and 28 thereto. The contacts 21 are preferably in the form of U-sliaped cllps bolted to the rocker arms 11 and having yielding tongues arranged to engage the contacts 20, so that final movement of the rocker arms will be permitted after engagement of said contacts 21 with contacts 2() without causing breakage of the bar 19. The movement oli each rocker arm 11v to permit closing of the associated valve 13 results in promptly open.- ing the circuit to the associated plug oi an! other cylinder until that cylinder again has a charge compressed therein ready for tiring.

From the above, it will be seen that by means of the present invention the wiring is sim liiied and reliable operation is insured wit little danger of ignition troubles.

What I claim as new 1s 1. The combination with a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine of the valvein-head type, wherein said cylinders are provided with intake and exhaust valves operated by means including push rods and rocker arms, of an ignition apparatus for said engine comprising a spark plug for each cylinder, a contact mounted above the rocker arm for one valve of each cylinder, said contacts each being electrically connected with the central electrode of the spark plug for another cylinder, a further contact carried by each of the last named rocker arms, each of said further contacts being arranged to engage one of the first named contacts upon the valve-opening movement of the rocker arm'which carries the same, and a source of ignition current having one terminal connected with all of said further contacts.

2. In ,an ignition apparatus for multiple cylinder internal combustion engines of the valve-in-head type, a plurality of contacts, one carried by the rocker arm for one valve of each cylinder, and further fixed contacts, each connected to the spark plug of one cylinder and arranged to co-act with a contact carried by the rocker arm for a valve of another cylinder for controlling the How of ignton current to said plug.

' each of said further contacts being arranged to engage one of the first named contacts upon the valve-opening movement of the rocker arm which carries the same, and a source of ignition current having one terminal connected with all of said further contacts, and a bar of insulating material mounted on the engine above said rocker arms and carrying the 'first named contacts.l

4. The combination with a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine of the valvein-head type, wherein said cylinders are provided With intake and exhaust valves operated by means including push rods and rocker arms, of an ignition apparatus for said engine comprising a spark plug for each cylinder, a contact mounted above the rocker arm for one valve of each cylinder, of said contacts each being electrically connected with the central electrode of the spark plug for another cylinder, a further contact carried by each of the last named rocker arms, each of said further contacts being arranged to engage one of the vfirst named contacts upon the valve-opening valve-in-head type, a plurality of contacts,

one carried by a movable member of the operating means for one valve of each cylinder, and further fixed contacts, each connected to the spark plug of one cylinder, and arranged to co-act with a contact carried by the movable memberof the valve operating means of another cylinder, for effecting the iow of ignition current to the spark plugs of said cylinders in proper sequence.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JESUS VIRAMONTES. 

